


The Smallest Citizen

by smallprotector



Category: Imperial Radch Series - Ann Leckie
Genre: Cute, Gen, Kitten, Mentions of Animal Cruelty, kitten fic, pretty fleeting ones though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-03-10 18:01:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13506861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallprotector/pseuds/smallprotector
Summary: When Kalr Five finds a kitten and takes it to the Ship, Breq takes responsibility for her.





	The Smallest Citizen

‘Fleet Captain, your attendance is necessary on the Kalr Level.’ Breq made her way to the small cluster of lieutenants that surrounded Kalr Five. As she walked, Ship told her about how Kalr Five had found a small scrap of fur pitifully mewling in a corridor down at Athoek station and how she had tried and failed to find the person responsible for the little being before deciding to bring it back to the ship with her.

“I couldn’t just leave it laying there!”

“But what are you going to do with it? Ship, do we even have food to feed it?” Kalr Eight asked, and Kalr Five looking worried at the prospect that she might not be able to provide for the creature she held in her hands.

“Ship will certainly find something to feed her,” Breq said, startling everyone as she spoke. She held out her gloved hands and the little animal was gently placed into them. The kitten started fussing and Breq frowned.

“Hush, you’re safe with me, citizen.” And as if to prover her point, Breq started humming a lullaby she had overheard once long ago. The kitten blinked at the sound but settled down seeming happy enough to stay there for now. 

The assembled lieutenants shared an amused glance before Ship sent them a reminder of their other duties. Breq made her way bac to her quarters, the kitten held carefully in her hands. She’d been woken her early, and now she wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. She took out an old jacket and laid the kitten on it. She hoped it could get some sleep too. 

 

Once she woke, Breq took the kitten, who seemed to have gotten some rest in between running around and yowling as Breq tried to sleep, to the decade room, Ship already having ensured there would be an adequate source of nutrition waiting for her. On her way there, Translator Zeiat crossed her path.

“What is that? It doesn’t look human- is it a new AI? Will it be coming to the Conclave?”

She bent down to speak to the kitten who seemed to have decided Breq’s hands were a wonderful place to be, having curled up and started purring. 

“Greetings, I am Translator Zeiat- are you saying something? If you’re speaking in a language I can’t understand I must ask you to teach me, They were very clear on that part of our duties. Breq, will it teach me its language?”

“I apologise Translator, but that won’t be possible. This is, in face, a young cat- they do not seem to have a language that can be understood or spoken by humans, though they do express contentment or distress.”

“So, it won’t be coming to the Conclave? What a pity. Then again, if it’s not Significant… Oh no small cat, stay away from Them.” She moved closer, so her face was near with the cat’s, her eyes uncharacteristically serious. “You wouldn’t want to be anywhere near them if not even Fleet Captain Breq will argue for your Significance.”

Breq brought her cupped hands closer to her body, not wanting to even imagine what the Presger might do with this creature she had taken responsibility for.

Zeiat straightened and looked at Breq. “You’ll take care of this cat?” And without waiting for an answer, she turned strode away, bouncing on her heels as she walked. Breq heard her mumble something about Sphene.

 

“Translator Zeiat and Sphene are requesting your presence.” 

“Has something happened?”

“No, it seems as if Zeiat has decided Sphene simply must meet our newest resident.”

Breq raised her eyebrows, but got up to go. Sphene would surely treat the cat well- and Zeiat had seemed to like her earlier. And if she had changed her mind- well, Breq would protect the cat if she had to. 

She arrived at Sphene’s temporary quarters, where the game of counters they had been playing had acquired even more eggs and a spoon from a tea set. 

“See Sphene, this is what I meant!”

“You didn’t say it was a kitten,” Sphene said, her eyes lighting up as she took in the cat that was not up on Breq’s shoulder, where she had been sitting for the past few hours. 

“I told you there was a small noisy thing. How much more specific do you expect me to be?”

“I suppose you weren’t wrong,” Sphene said, approaching Breq cautiously. 

“May I-?”

But before she could finish her question, the cat leaped into Sphene’s arms, her claws digging into her shirt. 

“Oh child, hello,” Sphene all but cooed. “Aren’t you a little thing?” 

Breq blinked. This was not what she had expected. 

“Have you met this before, Sphene?” Zeiat’s said, suddenly eerily close to Breq and Sphene as she peered at the cat once again. 

“Definitely not this one but… my former captain talked to me about her cats back home a few times,” Sphene said, voice still strangely gentle as the kitten started batting at her hair. “It’s nice to be able to see one in person.”

She looked up. 

“Thank you for bringing her here, Cousin.”

“Of course.”

“This is sweet, but I’m going to go get some more fish sauce. Would the little one like some?”

 

Ship informed Breq Tisarwat was lingering in front of Breq’s quarters. 

Breq sighed. “Citizen, you seem to be very popular,” she said, before rising and scooping up the cat that had been batting at a loose thread. She made her way outside.

Once Tisarwat saw the cat, her eyes widened, and her hands flew to her face. 

“A kitten! Oh I-” suddenly her face crumbled. “I always loved those. Before. She hates them, though.”

Breq hesitated. “Would you like to hold her?” 

“No I- I should go.”

And with that, Tisarwat left. And Breq went about getting ready for her day. 

“Ship, can you have Medic check up on Tisarwat later? This seems to have disturbed her.”

“Of course.”

 

Seivarden sniffed as the cat moved closer to her. 

“Breq, you really have to stop picking up strays wherever you find them.”

“It worked out fine with you.”

“That’s different, you knew me.”

But even as she was complaining, Seivarden found herself watching the cat, even reaching out to feel her fur. 

“Though I have to admit- she is rather sweet.”

“Seivarden, are you- Fleet Captain Breq. Hello.”

“Ekalu! Look, there’s a kitten!” 

Seivarden picked her up and held her out to Ekalu, but the kitten had other ideas and started to bite at her fingers. 

“Careful, Seivarden, I don’t think she likes that,” Ekalu said, walking over to where the two of them sat, teacups forgotten next to them for once. 

“But she never bites when Breq holds her,” Seivarden said, looking put out. 

“Well, maybe Breq does it differently,” Ekalu said, and Breq made a gesture of acknowledgment. ”But I think I still have- ah yes-“ Ekalu pulled out a small square of cloth and dangeled it in front of the cat’s face, and the cat lost interest in gnawing on Seivarden’s fingers in favour of attacking the cloth. 

Breq looked up and saw Seivarden smiling at Ekalu with a smile, and the corner of her own mouth quirked upwards just a touch. She drank ffrom her tea- rather cold now, but it wasn’t as if she had much of an opinion on the stuff, unlike- well, everybody else.

Perhaps she should go but- she hadn’t seen Seivarden this happy for a long time. She would just stay for a little longer.

 

That evening, Breq looked at the small animal exploring her quarters and couldn’t help but imagine Awn seeing the tiny being. She would certainly love it- but Breq didn’t want to think about that now. Instead, she started singing- she had read somewhere that cats liked fish, so perhaps the kitten would appreciate the song. 

My heart is a fish  
Hiding in the water-grass  
In the green  
In the green

By the time she had finished all four verses she had been taught the kitten had made her way back into her lap and was using her paws to knead at Breq’s leg where it stretched out in front of her, the rumbling noise that was coming from her a soothing in the same way a lullaby might be. 

“Indeed Citizen,” Breq said, as she reached down to pet her, her own eyes slipping shut. “Quite right. I think I’m going to be calling you Fish.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are very appriciated! I'm on tumblr as wanttodrawmothsfrommemory, come say hi :D Feel free to suggest anything you'd like to see :D
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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